Bail connecting means



R. C. CHAPMAN 1934' BAIL CONNECTING MEANS Filed NOV. 10. 1932 K. 6. Uzapmzm Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 10, 1932 Serial No. 642,097

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a tray designed for holding milk bottles, or the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a tray of the above-mentioned character, having partition elements which are constructed for holding a selected number of milk bottles of different sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide partition elements of the above-mentioned character, which are readily removable so that other partition elements may be substituted therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle for the tray, which is connected with the tray in a manner to properly balance the tray, whereby the same may be carried conveniently.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle which is detachably connected with the tray and collapsible when detached from the tray, so that it may be stored within the tray, for shipment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tray embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a detailed section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of attaching plate,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of partition elements.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a tray or box, which is preferably formed of metal, although other material may be employed. This tray embodies sides 11, ends 12, and a bottom 13.

The sides 11 are provided with outwardly bulging attaching plates or cars 14, preferably pressed or stamped therefrom and integral therewith. At the lower end of the attaching plate there is an opening or slot 15. These attaching plates are disposed in a plane outwardly of the sides 11. The attaching plates are provided with inwardly facing inverted L-shaped slots 16, having vertical and horizontal portions 17 and 18. The horizontal portion 18 leads at its inner end, into an upstanding inclined slot 19, projecting above and below the generally horizontal portion 18. The inner portion of the horizontal 00 portion 18 is inclined and extends downwardly,

as shown.

The numeral 20 designates a handle, preferably formed of wire, or the like. This handle embodies inverted U-shaped handle elements 21 and 06 22. The transverse portion 23 of the handle element 21 is bent at its center into relatively large turns, forming a coiled grip 24. At the ends of this coiled grip are smaller turns 25, which slidably engage the transverse portion 26 of the handle element 22. At its ends, the transverse portion 23 is bent into eyes 27, slidably engaging the transverse portion 26. The arms 28 of these handle elements diverge downwardly, and are bent inwardly at a right angle, form- [6 ing shanks 29, carrying heads 30.

It is thus seen that the two handle elements 21 and 22 are permanently attached to each other, but are pivotally connected so that they may assume the open downwardly diverging relation shown in Figure 1, or a collapsed relation; The shanks 29 are adapted to be inserted into the inverted L-shaped slots 17, and these shanks pass to the inner ends of the horizontal portions 18, resting upon the walls of the inclined portions 86 of the same, and hence, readily directed into the vertical slot extension 19. When the handle is raised, the shanks will be caught within the upper ends of the slot portions 19 and there will I be no tendency for the handle to be accidentally 90 disconnected from the tray. However, the handle may be readily separated from the tray, when desired, as is obvious.

Instead of forming the ears 14 integral with the tray, I may employ attaching plates 14, formed separate from the tray and attached thereto by rivets, or the like. These attaching plates have the same slot arrangement and are identical with the plates 14.

Partition elements 31 and 32 are provided, '100 which may be formed of wire, and these partition elements have compartments 33 of suitable size to properly receive and hold milk bottles of desired sizes. For instance, the partition element 31 may be designed to receive and hold quart bottles, while the partition element 32 may be designed to receive and hold pint bottles, although the invention is in no sense restricted to this precise arrangement. These partition elements are removably mounted with- 1-10 in the tray 10, and terminate at an elevation beneath the top of the tray, which may be utilized for receiving the collapsed handle. In this manner, all elements of the tray may be stored within the same, for shipment.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as the preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

A tray including sides, each side having a pair of spaced attaching plates, the attaching plates in each pair having inverted approximately L- shaped slots, each slot having a generally vertical slot portion extending through the bottom of the attaching portion and a generally horizontal slot portion which extends inwardly from the generally vertical slot portion, the generally horizontal slot portion having a downwardly inclined inner porf ion, each attaching plate being further provided with an upstanding slot portion leading into the inclined slot portion and projecting above and below such inclined slot portion, and a pair of inverted U-shaped handle elements including transverse portions, one transverse portion being straight and the companion transverse portion being bent into a relatively large coil for forming a grip, said coil being spaced from the straight transverse portion, the companion transverse portion being further bent into eyes for pivotally receiving the straight transverse portion, the arrangement being such that the handle elements may be readily collapsed, said handle elements being provided at their free ends with inwardly bent lateral extensions having heads, the lateral extensions being adapted for insertion within the inverted approximately L- shaped slots and to be locked within the upstanding slot portions when the handle elements are shifted upwardly or downwardly with relation to the tray.

ROBBIE C. CHAPMAN. 

